Improvement in water-proof shoes



N. PETERS. PHOTO LITHUGWAPNE www tant anni: i

'FREDERICK M. SHEPARD', or New YORK, uv.v

Lette/rs Patent No. 84,650, dated December 1, 1868.

The Schedule referred -to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To aZLwh'o/m it may concer-n:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK M. SHEPARD, of the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Water- ProcfBoots, Shoes, and Gaiters; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which-1Figure, 1 is an elevation of a boot on my improved P an;

Figure 2, a bottom view of the sole;

igure 3, a bottom view of the outer sole removed: an

Figure 4, a section through the sole and metal plate.

Boots, shoes, and arctic gaiters, made of Avulcanized India rubber, arethoroughly water-proof, but it is well known that that material will notresist the cuttingaction of sharp edges, particularly when wet, and forthat reason the soles of such articles, when used by miners andv otherswho are liable to walk on sharp stones, shells, Sac., particularly whenwet, are cut through in a short time, thereby destroying theirwater-proof quality, so essential in such articles.

Leather, or other 4,equivalent material, suitable for resisting suchcutting-action, has not heretofore been used for the outer soles ofboots, Ste., because, if attached thereto whileI the India-rubber is inthe green v or plastic state, it will not stand the heat required forvulcanizing.

The object of my invention is to produce water-A proof boots, shoes,gaiters, 85e., with au outer .sole which will resist thevcutting-actionof sharp edges; and to that end,

My said invention consists in inserting within the Indiarubber sole aplate, or parts of a plate, of metal or other equivalent material, whichwill resist the vulcanizing-heat, and Ato which, after vulcanization, anouter sole of leather, or equivalent material suitable for an outersole, is applied, to resist the cutting-action of sharp stones, &c.

Having thus stated the general character of my said invention, I willparticularly describe the mode of Aapplication thereof which I deem tobe the best.

After the boot or shoe has been formed of India' of the outer, andinside of the inner edge of the metal plate b, the rivets c extendingthrough holes in the said sheet of prepared gum. In this condition the`boot or shoe is vulcanized, and when it comes out of the heatervulcanized, itis thoroughly water-proof; but there isl embedded withinthe India-rubber sole a metallic plate, with rivets extending out beyondthe outer surface of the vulcanized India rubber', to which I secure, byriveting, an outer sole of leather, e.

If desired, the heel may be prepared in like manner. i I have thusdescribed and represented the mode of construction which I deem thebest; but I do not Wish to be understood as limiting my claim ofinvention to such mode of construction, as my invention is susceptibleof many modifications so long as there is embedded in the India-rubberpart of the sole before vulcanization, a plate, or sections of a plate,with projecting pins or rivets extendingthrough or beyond the outercoating of India rubber, to which an outer sole can be secured; orrivets with large heads maybe substituted, if the heads be made of suchsize that, in walking, they will not be forced through the-innerIndia-rubber sole; or the plate, or sections of a, plate,

instead" of having projecting pins or rivets, may be formed with holestapped in them, so that an outer sole may be secured by screws passingthrough the leather, and the outerjcoating of India rubber, and screwed4into the enclosed plate ,or sectionsof a plate; or two thicknesses ofmetal may be embedded, the one nearest the outside being pierced withsmall holes; so that the outer sole may be secured by driving nailsthrough the leather, the outercoating of India rubber, and through theholesiu one of the metal plates,'and clinched by striking against thesurface of the inner plate; i And although I prefer metal for the partto be embedded in the India-rubber part of the sole, Ido

not wish to be limited thereto, as other and equivalent substances maybe substituted, provided such substitute Will stand the vulcanizing, andis sufficiently strong to hold the rivets', screws, or equivalentfastening. And so for the outer sole I prefer to use leather, but otherand equivalent material may be substituted, provided it will resist thecutting-action of sharp edgesv better than vulcanized India rubber orallied gums.

What I claim as my invention', and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is Y i A boot, shoe, or other such like article, made of vulcanizedIndia rubber or allied gum, with a plate, or

sections of a plate, or the equivalent'thereof, made of metal orequivalent'material, embedded in the Indiarubber sole while in the greenor plastic state, to which,

after vulcanization, an outer sole can be secured, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

FREDERICK M. SHEPARD.

Witnesses:

WM. H. BISHOP, l ANDREW DE LACY.

